The other day, I innocently walked outside to get my mail not knowing what travesty I was about to witness.  Yes, it was my neighbor (a very nice lady who waves at me every day) and she was putting up her Christmas lights.  WHAT?  WAIT!  I haven't even thought about Thanksgiving yet and here's my neighbor, happily stringing up Christmas lights while humming an off-key holiday tune.  Oh heck.  While we can't necessarily blame our early bird neighbors for the holidays, one thing we can do is prepare for a smooth transition from this year to the next without so much as an extra pound to carry over. 

Avoiding Those Holiday Pounds

1.  Eat.  Doing double duty during the holidays makes it easy to blow your diet by skipping meals and hitting the vending machine for some late-day sustenance. If you don't do anything else during the holiday season, prepare for those ultra-busy days by keeping some healthy foods nearby.  Nutrition bars, oatmeal, cereal, fruit...anything that's easy to prepare and will keep in the bottom drawer of your desk.  

2.  Sleep.  Yes, you've got a lot going on, but how will you ever get it all done if you're dragging-butt all day long?  Think of a good night's sleep as a necessity (much like oxygen) to keep you sane and prevent your friends and family from violent thoughts as you spiral into stress-mode.  Whatever else happens throughout the day, plan on winding down 30 minutes or so before bedtime (which should be early enough that you can get in a solid 8 or so hours).  Florence Cardinal, About's Sleep Disorder Guide, reminds us that lack of sleep inhibits concentration and it makes us "less efficient and more irritable."

3.  Exercise.  I know, you're busy...don't have time for exercise...don't really care.  Well, you're just going to have to make time because working out will help you reduce holiday stress AND will help you keep off those extra pounds from all that party food.  Instead of trying to fit in hours of exercise, why not make your workouts more efficient?  Try circuit training, or compound exercises which will help you work more than one body part at a time.  For your cardio, increase your intensity with interval training to burn more calories in less time.  If you need to, split up your workouts into manageable segments by finding 15 minutes 2 or 3 times throughout the day for a quick workout (walking the stairs, frantic running through the mall to find the perfect gift, whatever).  You'll enjoy the holidays a lot more if you're relaxed, stress-free and feeling good about yourself.

4.  Relax.  Again, you probably think you don't have time to relax while there's so much to do.  But, finding time to chill out can make the holiday whirlwind that much easier.  Try taking a bath, reading a book, doing some yoga or just some deep breathing.  Even deep breathing techniques can help keep your stress hormones in check.  While sitting (on the floor or in a chair), simply breathe in deeply through your nose, allowing your belly to bulge out with the inhale, then exhale through your mouth very slowly, contracting your abs at the end.  Repeat this a few times and you'll be ready for anything!

5.  Indulge Moderately.  Special occasions offer things we don't usually indulge in; pies, cakes, fattening drinks, grandma's butter cookies, etc.  It's easy to get caught up in the excitement and overindulge, isn't it?  The best way to enjoy great holiday fare without going overboard is to plan plan plan.  When you go to a party, for pete's sake don't go hungry!  Eat a healthy snack beforehand and grab a glass of water when you get there to fill up and keep you hydrated.  When you hit the buffet, choose only one or two things to indulge in and forget the rest.  Make it something you would only get during the holidays (you can have chocolate chip cookies anytime, right?) and just take a taste.  Then fill your plate with healthy stuff like veggies, fruit and grilled items.  Try to avoid the high calorie drinks like Egg Nog and stick with wine.  For every glass of alcohol you have, drink a glass of water as well.  It will help you curb your drinking, stay away from empty calories and keep you from any drunken table-dancing or spontaneous karaoke at the office party.

Happy Holidays!